England wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow dragged a Just Stop Oil protester off the pitch just minutes into the start of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.
Bairstow picked up the protester and carried him off the field to applause at Lord’s before going into the pavilion to change his shirt.
The protester released a batch of orange paint near the wicket after running onto the field, causing a delay of several minutes as grounds staff repaired the pitch.
Bairstow had to change his shirt as he got paint on his whites in the process of carrying the protester off the pitch.
A second Just Stop Oil protester also made it onto the pitch but was hauled off by security staff, while David Warner and Ben Stokes could be seen intervening. A third protester was stopped before entering the field of play.
The Metropolitan Police said three people had been arrested and taken into custody. A statement from Just Stop Oil said a “69-year old-grandmother from Epsom” was one of the people taking action, but she did not make it onto the pitch.
Bairstow carried off the protester and ended up covered in orange paint
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The Marylebone Cricket Club, who own Lord’s, said of the protest: “MCC condemn in the strongest possible terms today’s pitch incursion and with the behaviour of the protesters involved.
“Their actions not only endanger themselves and those who work at the ground, but they have consistently shown complete disregard for the people who pay to attend events, not just here at Lord’s but around the country at other sporting venues.”
A statement from Just Stop Oil said: ”Just Stop Oil supporters have disrupted The Ashes 2nd test match, at Lord’s cricket ground, between England and Australia. The Just Stop Oil supporters are demanding the UK government immediately halt new oil, gas and coal projects in the UK, and are calling on Lord’s to make a statement demanding an end to new fossil fuels.
“At around 11:05am, three Just Stop Oil supporters stormed the pitch at Lord’s in a cloud of orange powder-paint. The supporters were removed from the pitch, one being carried off by Jonny Bairstow.”
England captain Ben Stokes appeals as Bairstow drags off the other protester
(Getty Images)
The match then resumed at the start of the second over as Stuart Broad began his spell, however it was soon halted again for around 15 minutes amid drizzly conditions on the opening morning of the second Test.
Just Stop Oil have targeted several sporting events this year and managed to disrupt the World Snooker Championships at the Crucible in April and the Premiership Rugby final at Twickenham in May.
Players also took matters into their own hands at Twickenham as England international Tom Curry helped stewards remove the protester from the field of play.
England’s team bus was briefly halted by Just Stop Oil protesters last month as they made their way to Lord’s for the summer’s opening Test match against Ireland.
It was Bairstow who posted a picture of the Just Stop Oil protesters on his Instagram story as the group blocked England’s bus as they left the team hotel.
There was significant disruption at the World Snooker Championship when a Just Stop Oil supporter jumped onto one of the tables and tipped orange paint onto the carpet.
The match between Robert Milkins and Joe Perry was suspended for the evening as the table had to re-covered overnight. Two men were arrested following the stunt.
Speaking on the BBC’s Test Match special, the commentator Jonathan Agnew said: “Let’s hope this doesn’t happen again, let’s hope that’s the one attack on the Ashes this year.”
